Nation's most beloved investor is $6 billion richer this year despite handing over $2.1 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to charity in July. Berkshire shares up 24% over past 12 months; have averaged 21.4% annual return since 1965. Son of Nebraska politician delivered newspapers as a boy. Filed first tax return at age 13, claiming $35 deduction for bicycle. Studied under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway 1965. Today holding company invested in insurance (Geico, General Re), jewelry (Borsheim's), utilities (MidAmerican Energy), food (Dairy Queen, See's Candies). Also has noncontrolling stakes in Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo. Last year bought Israeli cutting-tool business Iscar and electronic components distributor TTI. Longtime critic of efforts to repeal estate tax; says wealth should not pass exclusively to members of "lucky sperm club." The Oracle of Omaha had long promised to give away his fortune posthumously. Last summer irrevocably earmarked the majority of his Berkshire shares to charity, mostly to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gift was valued at $31 billion on day of announcement; donation will far exceed that sum so long as Berkshire shares continue to rise.

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